E-NEW YORK – Siyakwamukela endaweni yakamuva eheha izivakashi eNew York: ikomkhulu le-Lehman Brothers.
Ingase ibe yimbi, kodwa njengoba i-Lehman isondela ekuthengisweni noma ekuhlulekeni ngokuphelele, imali yayo njengomdwebo wezivakashi iyakhuphuka.
Ngenkathi abalawuli nabamabhange bethutheleka eNew York Federal Reserve eManhattan ephansi ngeSonto ukuyonquma isiphetho sikaLehman, ama-shutterbugs ehlele endlunkulu yebhange emaphakathi nedolobha iManhattan ukuze abambe ucezu lomlando ngaphambi kokuthi unyamalale.
“Angazi noma kusazoba nguLehman ezinyangeni ezimbalwa,” kusho uDulles Wang, umhlaziyi kaphethiloli enkampanini kagesi i-NRG Energy ohlala eduze kwaseMadison Square Garden.
“Kuthathe iminyaka eyikhulu ukwakha ifemu efana nalena futhi kuyadabukisa uma iphela.”
“Ngifisa sengathi nami ngithathe isithombe se-Bear Stearns,” engeza.
Indlunkulu ka-Lehman ku-Seventh Avenue phakathi kwemigwaqo engu-49 no-50, enyakatho nje ye-Times Square, ingase ibe nezinye zezikrini ezinkulu zevidiyo ezihlotshaniswa ne-“Crossroads of the World”, kodwa akulona uhlobo lwesimangaliso sezakhiwo oluvame ukuheha Isikibha nesixuku samakhamera.
Ifaka indawo yokungena ehlehlisiwe enezicabha eziyingilazi eziholela endaweni yokwamukela izivakashi. Igama lale nkampani linamathiselwe ngezinhlamvu ezimpunga, zensimbi ezindongeni ezimnyama ezicwebezelayo eziseceleni kweminyango.
Ama-nameplates, ajwayele ukushaywa indiva evuna izikrini ezinkulu eziveza amavidiyo anyakazayo, anemibalabala, abe yinto efunwa ukwazi ngeSonto ekuseni elinomswakama, libalele njengoba abantu bebegqolozele umuzi wakamuva wemali ukuze babhekane nencithakalo.
Idlanzana labantu limile lamamatheka eduze kwamagama ngaphambi kokuba unogada abaxoshe. Cishe abantu abayishumi nambili bathwebule izithombe phakathi namahora ambalwa ngeSonto ekuseni.
Enkabeni yedolobha esakhiweni seFederal Reserve, usuku lwesithathu lwezingxoxo lwaqala ngo-7:30 ekuseni ukulethwa kwezikhwama ezintathu ezivela kwaDunkin' Donuts.
Ama-limos amnyama alethe abaphathi bamabhange - kuqala uVikram Pandit weCitigroup, kwase kuba uSteven Black weJPMorgan, kwalandela abanye - ngemuva konogada, okuthe ngo-10 ekuseni bebesadlulwa yizintatheli nabathwebuli bezithombe ngaphandle kwebhilidi le-gray-stone.
Ezokuphepha beziqine kakhulu kunangoMgqibelo, futhi zibandakanya ukusetshenziswa kwamaveni ayisishiyagalolunye aluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka eFederal Law Enforcement, acindezela abezindaba kude nebhilidi.
IKHOFU, IKHOFU KANYE NEKHOFU ELININGI
Ngesinye isikhathi, umuntu owayehamba ngezinyawo waya kwabezindaba, ababenamakhamera emaphoyiseni ambalwa ngaphesheya komgwaqo, wababuza ukuthi babeqopha ibhayisikobho.
Abanye bathwebule izithombe phambi kwesixuku, kuyilapho abanye abashayeli ababeshayele abaklami bekusasa lika-Lehman ebhilidini elifana nenqaba le-Fed balale kuma-limos abo.
Abaphathi beza bephuma bebecinene, kodwa abasebenzi abesekayo bebethanda ukukhuluma kakhulu.
Umpheki obhemayo ngaphandle kwe-Fed uthe usebenze amahora ayi-15 ngoMgqibelo futhi ubelindele okufanayo ngeSonto.
Abadayisi bakagesi abazungeze itafula elikhulu legumbi lokudlela badla izinhlanzi, i-lasagna, amazambane, i-broccoli namakhekhe ngoMgqibelo kusihlwa, esho. NgeSonto, bebenesoseji le-turkey, ubhekeni, amaqanda, amakhekhe, ama-muffin, isaladi yezithelo nekhofi le-Starbucks.
“'Ikhofi, ikhofi, ikhofi,' bathi, 'izinto ezinamandla.'
Ngaphandle kwamahhovisi kaLehman, abasebenzi bebenqaba ukukhuluma ngezingxoxo nokuthi impilo injani ngaphakathi kwesakhiwo.
“Kwabanye abantu kuyibhizinisi njengenjwayelo, kodwa abanye abantu bakhathazekile ngokudayiswa kwemali nokuthi ngeke babe nemisebenzi,” kusho umlisa othi ubesebenza ophikweni lwebhange lokutshala imali likaLehman ngesikhathi ephuma ebhilidini.
“Abanye abantu basezingeni eliphezulu futhi basebenza kumaphrojekthi abo,” kusho yena. “Abanye bakhathazekile ngokuthi bazophelelwa wumsebenzi bese beqoqa izimpahla zabo,” kusho lo mlisa onqabile ukudalulwa.
Amadoda abegqoke amasudi afika ahamba, kuyilapho ezinye izisebenzi zingena esakhiweni nezikhwama ezingenalutho - ezinye zemidlalo yohlobo lwe-Lehman - zase zihamba nazo zigcwele.
Abanye - abanye begqoke izikibha ze-Lehman, bavele namafayela e-accordion, ama-binder afakwe amaphepha nama-valise agcwele.
Isisebenzi saseLehman esikhulume sisekhaya, kodwa sanqaba ukudalulwa, sithe: “Besingekho ukuxhumana okuvela phezulu. Uma kufanele ngithole omunye umsebenzi, ngicela isexwayiso.”
